Visions and Dreams
More and more people are coming forward with visions, dreams, etc.
It's hard to determine what is truth and what is error, especially because most people seem sincere in what they're doing.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.
- Jeremiah 23:16 (KJV)
Here's my view on it:
Holy Spirit => Vision/Dream => Truth (sound doctrine)
God doesn't lie, so if anything but the Truth comes out, the vision/dream wasn't from the Holy Spirit.
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
- Numbers 23:19 (KJV)
The Holy Spirit is also known as the Spirit of Truth.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
- John 16:13 (KJV)
Satan and his fallen angels on the other hand are lying non-stop, and have been deceiving people for thousands of years.
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
- John 8:44 (KJV)
So how to tell the difference?
Sound doctrine can only be learned by studying the Word of God, and by having a love for the truth. If you don't know sound doctrine, you are in danger of being deceived. Classic examples of false doctrines are the "Secret Rapture" doctrine, and also the "RFID chip is the mark of the beast" doctrine. Both are not Biblical.
For those with visions, and dreams, please consider the following.
Here's how to recognize the Holy Spirit:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
- Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)
And here's how to test the spirits:
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
- 1 John 4:1-3 (KJV)
Study your Bible, and don't just rely on what others say.
For more information on the end times, start with Matthew 24, or alternatively read my article on Sound Doctrine.